1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a switch device that is used in an electronic device such as a wristwatch, a cellular phone, and a portable information terminal, and to a timepiece having the switch device.
2. Description of the Related Art
For example, a switch device for a wristwatch is known which has a structure in which, when a cylindrical member is to be mounted in a through hole of a wristwatch case with a built-in timepiece module, an elastic member is provided between the inner circumferential surface of the through hole of the wristwatch case and the outer circumferential surface of the cylindrical member, and an operation member for operating the timepiece module is provided inside the cylindrical member in this state, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (Kokai) Publication No. 2010-249716.
This type of switch device is structured such that, when an external impact on the wristwatch case causes positional displacement between the wristwatch case and the timepiece module, the elastic member provided between the inner circumferential surface of the through hole of the wristwatch case and the outer circumferential surface of the cylindrical member is elastically deformed to cause the displacement of the cylindrical member in the radial direction thereof, whereby a load such as shearing force imposed on the operation member is reduced in accordance with the displacement of the cylindrical member in the radial direction thereof.
However, since this switch device of the wristwatch is structured such that the cylindrical member is held with the elastic member provided between the inner circumferential surface of the through hole of the wristwatch case and the outer circumferential surface of the cylindrical member, the cylindrical member is easily displaced in the radial direction thereof and is unstable, and accordingly the strength of the cylindrical member cannot be ensured unless the cylindrical member is formed having a larger outer diameter. This leads to not only a larger outer diameter of the cylindrical member but also a larger inner diameter of the through hole of the wristwatch case, which causes an increase in the thickness of the wristwatch case.